General Plant Information (Edit)
Plant Habit: Herb/Forb
Life cycle: Perennial
Sun Requirements: Full Sun
Full Sun to Partial Shade
Water Preferences: Mesic
Minimum cold hardiness: Zone 4a -34.4 °C (-30 °F) to -31.7 °C (-25 °F)
Maximum recommended zone: Zone 8b
Plant Height: 2ft - 3ft
Plant Spread: 2ft
Leaves: Unusual foliage color
Flowers: Showy
Flower Color: Lavender
Mauve
Orange
Pink
Purple
Red
Yellow
Bi-Color
Multi-Color
Flower Time: Spring
Late spring or early summer
Summer
Uses: Cut Flower
Will Naturalize
Dynamic Accumulator: Nitrogen fixer
P (Phosphorus)
Wildlife Attractant: Bees
Resistances: Drought tolerant
Toxicity: Leaves are poisonous
Other: Seeds are poisonous
Propagation: Seeds: Depth to plant seed: 0.2 inch
Suitable for wintersowing
Sow in situ
Start indoors
Can handle transplanting
Will not come true from seed
Other info: It is not coming true from seed, but it still gives new plants with beautifull colors. Every year it's a new surprise to see what color you get.
Propagation: Other methods: Division
Pollinators: Bees
Containers: Not suitable for containers
Miscellaneous: Tolerates poor soil
Parentage: Lupinus arboreus x L. polyphyllus

Image
Common names
  • Russell Lupine
  • Russell Lupin
Also sold as:
  • 'Russell Hybrids'
  • Lupinus polyphyllus
  • Lupinus x russellii

Photo Gallery
Location: Eagle Bay, New York
Date: 2022-06-13
Russell Lupine (Lupinus regalis) mixed colours
Location: IL
Date: 2009-05-27
Location: Millinocket, Maine
Date: 2023-06-24
First blossoms in the lupine patch
Location: Chuelles, France
Date: May
Location: Eagle Bay, New York
Date: 2022-08-23
Russell Lupine (Lupinus regalis) leaves, in the rain
Location: Eagle Bay, New York
Date: 2022-06-13
Russell Lupine (Lupinus regalis), bicolour purple
Location: Mississauga, Ontario, Canada - near Lake Ontario, zone 6a
Date: 2013-06-20
Location: Garden has been eliminated. It was part of the front lawn.
Date: 2012-12-08
Same bloom time as many azaleas.
Location: Illinois, US
Date: 2009-05-27
Location: Willamette Valley Oregon
Date: 2014-05-23
Location: Mittenwald, Germany
Date: 2003-05-31
Location: Millinocket, Maine
Date: 2024-05-27
Location: Master bedroom garden.
Date: 2005-0607
Growing well with sunshine until 3 PM.
Location: Lincolnshire, England, UK
Date: Jun 3, 2010 4:49 AM
Russell Lupins grown from seed in a nursery row and transplanted
Location: In my garden in Kalama, Wa.
Date: 2008-05-30
  • Uploaded by Joy
Location: My garden in Belgium
Date: 2010-08-23
Location: Master bedroom garden that became a JI garden.
Date: 2005-0607
Lupine in the background also.
Location: Belmont Iris garden - full sun
Date: 2015-0529
Kissing lupine!
Uploaded by treehugger
Location: My Garden
Location: Maine
Date: 2014-05-20
My garden
Location: Work area
Date: 2011-0727
Roots being packaged for a trade to someone in Georgia. None grew
Location: Harper fence, morning sun
Date: 2010-0524
Growing well with only morning sun.
Location: Work area
Date: 2011-0425
I did plant them all.
Location: Maine
Date: 2015-06-10
Location: Darwell Rolling Woods, Alberta
Date: 2015-07-31
Location: Terrace.
Date: 2014-05-17
Seedling emerged from between the bricks. It wasn't difficult to
Location: In my garden in Kalama, Wa.
Date: 2008-05-21
  • Uploaded by Joy
Location: Willamette Valley Oregon
Date: 2014-05-23
Location: Willamette Valley Oregon
Date: 2014-05-23
Location: Lincolnshire, England, UK
Date: May 16, 2011 
Groupof Russel Hybrids, the yellow in front is a self sown seedli
Location: Lincolnshire, England, UK
Date: May 16, 2011 
Lupins and Alliums in an English Garden
Location: Mississauga
Date: 2012-05-28

Date: 2019-01-09

Date: 2019-01-09
Location: Maine
Date: 2014-05-20
Location: Winter Park, Colorado
Date: Summer 2016
Lupin was huge last summer, second year I had this plant
Location: Indiana  Zone 5
Date: 2008-06-26
Location: My garden in Belgium
Date: 2009-06-04
Location: Terrace garden right side
Date: 2014-07-30
Farthest back. Blooming with tall bearded irises and allium Purpl
Location: Fireplace garden, middle.
Date: 2013-0602
Blooming well at the same time as clematis and light blue geraniu
Location: Obelisk garden, full sun
Date: 2014-07-14
Location: Harper fence, morning sun
Date: 2010-0524
Garden setting
Location: Terrace garden left side.
Date: 2013-0615
Showing each portion of the bloom and how it grows (and dries) on
Location: Work area
Date: 2006-0428
Lupine sprouting in spring from chipping done, for compost, the p
Location: Work area
Date: 2009-0719
It is easiest to wait until the pods turn dark and crack to extra
Location: Work area
Date: 2011-0713
Showing various stages of seeds ripening as well as the green, un
Location: Terrace garden right side
Date: 2014-0623
Not yet ripe. When ripe they turn black. If allowed to remain the
Location: In my garden in Kalama, Wa.
Date: 2008-05-21
  • Uploaded by Joy
Location: In my garden in Kalama, Wa.
  • Uploaded by Joy

Date: 2014-07-07
Location: Winter Park, Colorado
Date: summer 2017
Location: All pictures taken in/on my gardens/greenhouse/property
Date: 2018-02-28
Location: In my garden in Kalama, Wa.
Date: 2008-05-06
  • Uploaded by Joy
Location: My Cincinnati, Ohio garden
Date: Spring 2006
Taproot on a small seedling
Location: In my garden in Kalama, Wa.
Date: 2008-05-21
  • Uploaded by Joy
Location: Mississauga, Ontario, Canada - near Lake Ontario, zone 6a
Date: 2013-06-04
This plant is tagged in:
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Comments:
  • Posted by eclayne (Pioneer Valley south, MA, USA - Zone 6a) on Jun 17, 2016 12:44 PM concerning plant:
    The Russell Lupin, a horticultural hybrid (Lupinus arboreus x L. polyphyllus) was bred by George Russell in the early 20th century. These “Russell Hybrids” are noted for having denser flower spikes and a wider color palette than Big-Leaf Lupin (Lupinus polyphyllus) adding reds, yellows and orange to the usual blues, purples, pinks and white.
  • Posted by okus (Lincolnshire, UK) on Sep 22, 2011 4:08 PM concerning plant:
    Very easy to grow from seed, and they self seed freely, they flower the year after planting. Plants have a deep taproot so care is needed when transplanting if they are raised in a nursery bed.

    If the first flush of flowers are dead headed as they go over, the plants will produce a second and sometimes a third flush of blooms.

    They thrive in light, dry, poor, and stoney soils and are an impressive early summer display.
Plant Events from our members
thomas On January 14, 2016 Seeds sown
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